A Great Dish To Use Up Stuff in the Fridge

I seem to create some of my most memorable dishes when I have things in the fridge to use up. That’s how I originally stumbled upon this favorite dish years ago.

A quick search on AllRecipes.com using the ingredients in my fridge returned this Chicken Apple Sausage with Cabbage. I could eat sausage and potatoes any day of the week. Throw in cabbage boiled in apple cider and I’m ALL IN!’

Apple Cider NOT Apple Cider Vinegar

Please note that this is made with fresh apple cider. NOT apple cider vinegar. Someone once mentioned how awful the dish was, because of all the vinegar. I repeat, this is made with fresh apple cider, or apple juice. Not vinegar.

What If I Can’t Find Apple Cider?

Here in Michigan, It’s easier to find fresh apple cider in the fall. However, I have seen it year round at my local Meijer store. If you can’t find fresh apple cider, you can use apple juice instead.

What Brand of Chicken Apple Sausage Do You Use?

Previously, I’ve used Chicken Apple Sausage from Meijer, however it no longer seems to be available. I prefer Gilbert’s Bourbon Apple Chicken Sausage, as well. An added bonus of Gilbert sausages is that they are individually wrapped. Dietz and Watson also makes a gluten free and pork free Apple Chicken Sausage. In addition, Al Fresco makes a gluten and pork free Sweet Apple Sausage.

**NOTE- While Aidells makes a gluten free Chicken Apple Sausage, it is not pork free. The sausages are made with a pork casing.

The Best FRESH Apple Cider in Mid Michigan

By the by, I’m not using just ANY apple cider. This Chicken Apple Sausage with Cabbage is braised in Almar Orchards organic apple cider. While I don’t eat organic frequently, I do LOVE this cider. Almar Orchards is the only 100% apple orchard I know of in Michigan. While the cider is great, what I really appreciate is the owner and his staff.

I once had the privilege of interviewing the owner, Jim Koan, for an article I wrote for The Awesome Mitten. I feel like Jim is the equivalent to a modern day Johnny Appleseed. His knowledge about apples, plants and farming is simply AMAZING. Universities complete organic research on his farm that scientific journals publish across the world. And it’s all in the back corner of my county. Amazing.

The Best HARD Cider to Serve with This Dish

Almar sells more than just cider. They also sell HARD cider! It is so amazingly delicious, and I’m not a big alcohol fan. It is sold under the name JK’s Farmhouse Ciders, and they have many varieties. They recently released a Honeycrisp hard cider that is PHENOMENAL.

My favorite flavor is The Pair Perry, created from a blend of pear and apple juices. Almar Orchards also makes a beverage called switchel. Switchel contains no alcohol, although it is fermented. For those who drink apple cider vinegar for health reasons, this might be up your alley. It comes in various flavors, including cherry and berry.

What to Serve with This Dish

However, let’s get back to the food. This dish of Chicken Apple Sausage with Cabbage is perfect with tiny Yukon Gold potatoes. They’re just the right size to cook quickly and absorb all that sweet cider. Just a pinch of parsley adds a beautiful color contrast, too.

This hearty dish of Chicken Apple Sausage with Cabbage is filling. It contains plenty of carbohydrates because of the potatoes. Yet, if you want rolls, these Garlic and Onion grain free rolls pair perfectly with them! Thinking about dessert? I highly suggest pairing this dish with an apple based dessert. May I suggest my super easy Gluten-Free French Apple Cake? Better yet, how about my Gluten-Free Applesauce Bundt Cake?

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Chicken Apple Sausage with Cabbage

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tsp butter
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 4 links chicken and apple sausage
• 1 onion sliced
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 1/2 cups apple cider or apple juice
• 1 lb small Yukon potatoes washed but not peeled
• 1 1/2 lb green cabbage shredded
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

• Combine butter and olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat; add sausages and cook until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Stir onion, pinch of salt, and pinch of pepper in with the sausages. Cook and stir until onions are slightly translucent and caramelized, about 5 minutes.
• Stir garlic into sausage mixture; cook and stir for 30 seconds.
• Pour apple cider into sausage mixture; increase heat to medium-high and stir in potatoes. Bring to a simmer.
• Pour cabbage over top of sausage mixture and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove sausages and potatoes from the Dutch oven and set aside.
• Increase heat to high, simmer liquid until thick and reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
• Return potatoes and sausages to the Dutch oven and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with mustard and parsley.

On a side note, please know that this post was not sponsored in any way by Almar Orchards. I simply love to support Michigan businesses who do things right. This post does contain Amazon affiliate links. I do earn a small commission from those sales. However, it does not impact the price of your purchase. 

Originally Published December 2013

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My Go To Cookware For One Pot Meals

I now always make this Gluten Free No Boil Baked Ziti in my favorite pot. The Staub 4 qt essential pot is the workhorse of my kitchen. They don’t seem to make it anymore, so I recommend their 4.5 QT Perfect Pan instead, or their 4 QT Brasier.

I use it make everything from Congee breakfast porridge to Arroz Con Pollo to Beef Stew. My dad and his wife bought this for me for my birthday years ago, and it may just be my favorite gift EVER. I have to restrain myself from buying their entire product line.

What Gluten Free Pasta Should I Use For This Ziti?

There are so many gluten free pastas on the market. Delallo yields a great dish, as does Barilla. You can use whatever you please. As I update the pictures, I chose to use Jovial gluten free penne.

They sent me a care package of foods to try, and had this left in my pantry. Jovial is the only brand I know that makes a gluten free bow tie pasta, as well as an amazing tagliatelle.

Perfect Dish For After a Surgery or a New Baby

I adapted this Gluten Free No Boil Baked Ziti recipe slightly from the Ragu website. The main changes are substituting gluten free pasta and adding vegetables.

I often make this dish to take to others who are sick, grieving, or new moms who can use a hand in the kitchen. Therefore, I try to sneak in added nutrition whenever I can. The original recipe had no added onions, peppers or garlic. Those are like the Holy Grail of cooking! I also add wilted spinach.

Can I Scale This Dish To Feed More People?

This Gluten Free No Boil Baked Ziti recipe scales up well, too. My step mom and I made multiple batches of this for my father’s 60th birthday party. He also had Celiac Disease, and everything at the party was gluten free. All who came loved the ziti, and her daughters were super excited to take home leftovers.

I’ve made this for so men at a local homeless shelter, and they loved every bite. People at my church ask for the recipe after every potluck. Make this Gluten Free No Boil Baked Ziti for your friends, and become a culinary super hero!

Is This Dish Vegetarian? Can I Make This Without Dairy?

As written this, Gluten Free Baked Ziti contains NO meat. However, I have notes in the recipe for those who would like to add additional protein. Even though this recipe calls for ricotta, I’ve often substituted cottage cheese in this dish and it tastes just as good.

I have not made a version of this gluten free baked ziti without dairy. Looking at many Dairy Free Ziti recipes, some use a cashew based ricotta cheese, like this Dairy Free Baked Ziti from Meaningful Eats. (It is also gluten free.)

What Should I Serve with Gluten Free Baked Ziti?

This gluten free baked ziti is like a deconstructed Gluten Free Lasagna. This Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad would be a beautiful and delicious side salad to serve. Try my Gluten Free Crescent Rolls if you’re looking for a bread to serve with it. And one can never go wrong with my mother in law’s Gluten Free Wacky Cake for dessert.

More Gluten Free Pasta Recipes

Looking for more pasta recipes? I also created a Gluten Free Macaroni Salad, a Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad, and a Gluten Free Butternut Squash Lasagna for Two. Looking for a lower carb pasta dish? Try my Gluten Free Alfredo Spaghetti Squash recipe.

I love to make this simple Easy Spinach Ricotta pasta from Budget Bytes, and simply substitute gluten free pasta. If you’re craving full lasagna, I love this Lasagna for Two from Chef Julie, again made with either Gluten Lasagna Noodles from Barilla or Taste Republic. Or for a full size dish, try this Gluten free Vegetarian Lasagna from Wheat by the Wayside.

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Gluten Free No Boil Baked Ziti

Ingredients

• 24 oz Spaghetti Sauce (I used Prego)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 15 oz Ricotta Cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese about 8 oz., separated
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 8 ounces uncooked gluten-free penne
• 1 small onion chopped (optional)
• 1 small green pepper chopped (optional)
• 4 oz mushrooms chopped

Note!

• The original recipe is meatless. If you want to use ground beef or sausage use 1 1/2 pounds ground meat and reduce the cottage cheese to one cup, and the parmesan to 2 tbsp. Increase the pasta to 12 oz, and the water to 2 cups. Use 1 cup of mozzarella instead of 2.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• If I'm using meat, I brown the ground beef in the pot first. While that is cooking, I chop onions, peppers, mushrooms and/ or any other vegetables I feel like adding.
• When the beef is fully browned, I remove it from the pan, leaving behind the fat. I then saute the vegetables in the meat fat and juices, until onions are soft and transparent. I'm guessing 5 minutes.
• When all of the vegetables are cooked, I return the meat to the pan and add the dry pasta. Stir the pasta to evenly coat it in any remaining oil in the pan.
• Next, add the jar of spaghetti sauce. Because I'm incredibly frugal, I then add one cup of water to the empty jar to get all the last bits of tomato-y goodness out of of it. Waste not, want not, right? Add the rest of the water and stir together.
• Add the cottage (or ricotta) cheese and Parmesan cheese and stir together. Place the lid on the pot and put the whole gluten free no boil baked ziti in the oven. If you don't own a cast-iron pot/ dutch oven, you can use a 9×13 dish and cover it with foil
• Bake for 55 minutes.  Remove the gluten free no boil baked ziti from the oven and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let set for 10 minutes before serving.

What’s your favorite one-pot gluten free dish? Share a comment (and a recipe link if you have it) below!

**This post is NOT sponsored by Staub or Jovial, although Jovial did send me free product to try. This post does however include Amazon Affiliate Links. However, this does not influence the cost of your purchases. Thank you for helping to support this website!**

Originally published February 2015

The post Gluten Free No Boil Baked Ziti appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

My Introduction to Lebanese Green Bean Stew

I remember when I was introduced to Lebanese Green Bean Stew. For years, I worked at Curves, which was a fitness facility for women. One of my clients, Liz, invited us to her Assyrian church for a a community meal. At first, I assumed I couldn’t actually eat anything there. When I realized that their Lebanese Green Bean Stew was gluten free, I was so excited. I’ve since left that job, but every time I have this dish, I think of her.

What’s in Lebanese Green Bean Stew?

This recipe contains only 5 main ingredients: green beans, beef, onions, tomatoes and spices. You might be surprised to learn what the secret spice that ties this dish all together. Cinnamon! It may sound strange to some, but trust me when I say Lebanese Green Bean Stew is not the same without it.

What Do You Serve with Green Bean Stew?

This dish is a hearty meal in itself. However, should you want to round this out with some sides, I have a few suggestions! My recipe for naturally gluten free falafel pairs nicely with this dish. Fry up a few while your Lebanese Green Bean Stew is, well, stewing.

If you’re looking for pita to add to the dinner table, I highly suggest this Gluten Free Pita from GF Jules. Of note, this recipe makes quite a bit of stew, and actually tastes better the longer is sets. Whoever gets leftovers the next day is one lucky person!

More Lebanese and Mediterranean Recipes

I highly recommend following Yumna from Feel Good Foodie. A fellow Michigander, she has many naturally gluten free recipes. I want to try her Mujadara and Chicken Shawarma. These are just some of the recipes you’ll find in her Ramadan collection.

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One Pot Lebanese Green Bean Stew

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion diced
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes
• 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 2-3 cups water
• 1 lb green beans fresh, trimmed and cut into small pieces
• Cooked rice as a base

Instructions

• Cook the ground beef in a large pot or skillet. Once cooked, remove beef from pan and discard grease. Wipe pot to remove excess grease.
• Place pot back on stove and add 1 tbsp oil. Warm, and saute chopped onion over low-medium heat for 5 minutes. 
• Add garlic and spices and continue to cook 2 minutes or so. This allows the garlic to cook and the spices to toast and deepen their flavors.  
• To the pot, add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, water and green beans. I would start with two cups of water. If the stew becomes thicker than you prefer, add an additional cup of water at the end of cooking.
• Cook for 30 minutes, until the fresh green beans are soft. (You can use frozen, but I would put them in after already cooking the stew for 15 minutes.) 
• Serve stew hot, over a 1 cup serving of the Path of Life Mediterranean Quinoa blend. 

What stews do you love to cook? What are your favorite dishes to cook, using fresh grown items from your garden. Please feel free to drop recipe links below!

Originally published July 2018

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